Whitefly

[Dorothy rouse]

Hadreal problem with whitefly this year, especially on the brassicas, and finally pulled up the kale today. Even the cold weather hasn't killed them and I wonder if I should treat the ground? So that there won't be so many million this year?

Have read that ladybirds will eat them and marigolds will deter them?

Does anyone have other ideas?

[lottie dolly]

last year ours were the same,i boiled up some rhubarb leaves for tea,it did help,a week or so later,they appeared again but not as bad,sooo,i cooked some ginger powder strained it,and sprayed it on,i literaly washed the leaves with it under as well,from then on,it was clear,i did wonder weather it worked,or just the onset of autumn,mm,food for thought,this year,anythings worth a try,

[Jungle Jane]

I had problems with whiteflies tucked right into my Brussels sprouts tops,they don't like water with a tiny bit of hand soap added,squirted at them,iv heard about adding garlic to the mixture too,alot of bugs cant stand garlic. They never do much damage to my veg with regular spraying of the young. Out pruning last year I noticed some breeding happily away on a nearby bush,just on the new growth,its good to check other plants nearby. They're easier to manage/squash when they're wingless,quite difficult when flying about. French marigolds are great to have everywhere,nasturtiums attract predatory bugs that will help & try planting garlic,onions & chives as a protection. I read that some whitefly are resistant to the pesticides but some good insects aren't?

[starloc]

Limonene ( distilled citrus oil 1 teaspoon in a liter of water) kills white fly, as does neem oil

[Dorothy rouse]

From what you're all saying Sounds like a 'natural spray' works best, so will give that a go, if they return, at the moment I have no brassicas growing!

If they have no plant to lay eggs on, will they go away? Or will they survive in/ on the ground? Loads fell off when I pulled up the kale.

Sorry sounds a bit silly to ask.

[starloc]

A few pest control papers state that in greenhouse paths should be oiled to catch the dust indoors , the dust off plants contains the eggs, so if using something like neem, spray the soil as well to oil the eggs

I was plagued for some time by whitefly till I used sprays of both neem and limonene

You can also get parasitic wasps for them from places online , but for use indoors as they fly away outdoors or are killed by the weather? I presume outdoors isnt a good idea for parasitic whitefly killers? maybe its ok...dont know!